A strong cold front moved into an warm and unstable airmass primarily west of I-95. This resulted in bands of showers and thunderstorms that produced localized damaging wind and spotty large hail.
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Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS LWX wrote it up.
A strong cold front moved into an warm and unstable airmass primarily west of I-95. This resulted in bands of showers and thunderstorms that produced localized damaging wind and spotty large hail.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Baltimore/Washington wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 13, 2:30 PM EST, 3 hours 3 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
330 PM EDT Wed May 13 2026
.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
Greatest chance of severe wx this afternoon/evening in vicinity
of western Maryland.
&&
.KEY MESSAGES...
1) Gusty thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening.
2) Above average temperatures expected beginning this
weekend along with daily shower and thunderstorm chances.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...Gusty thunderstorms are possible this afternoon
and evening.
Currently showers are located across the Blue Ridge well ahead
of the surface cold front which is back near Pittsburgh. This
lead disturbance will cross the area this afternoon, quickly
increasing cloud cover. While an embedded rumble of thunder is
possible, instability will largely be lacking with this first
round. Combined with residual dry air in place and showers
outrunning the forcing, it's possible they greatly diminish by
the time they reach the I-95 corridor later this afternoon.
A second round of showers and t-stormshas forecast across
western PA back into eastern Ohio ahead of the cold front.
There will be only a few hours for the atmosphere to recover
from the previous showers, so instability will likely be
limited. However, forcing, moisture, and shear will be present,
so some stronger storms could still develop as the axis moves
eastward across the Appalachians during the late afternoon or
early evening. Greatest threat for SVR wx is in any organized
segments with the greatest probability of occurrence in western
Maryland. Strong outflow winds will be the main threat with any
stronger storms/linear segments. With sunset and weaker
antecedent instability east of I-81, the severe threat greatly
diminishes further east.
Some residual showers could linger until the cold front passes
late, and upslope rain showers will start in the Allegheny
Mountains. If any clearing can occur between the main rain and
the wind shift to NW, some fog may develop.
Gull pressure will pivot over the northern Mid-Atlantic on
Thu while surface low pressure redevelops over New England.
This will result in gusty NW winds and plentiful stratocumulus.
Rain showers appear mostly limited to upslope areas in the
Alleghenies, but can't totally rule out an isolated shower or
sprinkle elsewhere. Temps will be cooler beneath the trough as
well, with most lower elevations in the 60s. There could even be
a few wet snowflakes mixed in on the high peaks above 4000 feet
Thu morning.
KEY MESSAGE 2...Above average temperatures expected beginning this
weekend along with daily shower and thunderstorm chances.
Surface high pressure shifts offshore Saturday through early next
week with return flow ushering in warmer temperatures. Aloft, upper
level ridging slowly builds over the eastern CONUS through mid week.
On Saturday, high temperatures will be in the low to mid 80s for
most with higher elevations staying in the mid 70s. Temperatures
gradually warm each day with highs soaring into the mid 90s for most
on Tuesday.
In addition to high pressure shifting offshore, a cold front slowly
approaches the forecast area from the northwest. This will yield
daily shower and thunderstorm chances, primarily in the
Alleghenies.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
S'ly gusts to 25 kts continue. There may be multiple rounds of
showers and embedded tstorms, one during the afternoon to early
evening, and the second following a few hours later during the
evening. Instability is fairly weak with the first round, so
have left out thunder mentions, but did try to show the break
with the second round. The second round will likely be weakening
with eastward extent, so only have PROB30 TSRA at MRB, CHO, and
IAD. Any stronger storms could contain gusty outflow,
especially at MRB. Winds will likely shift to the west after the
second round of showers but be light or even calm in spots,
which could lead to fog development should any clearing take
place. However, some guidance suggest MVFR to IFR ceilings will
develop, especially over the metro terminals near and just after
showers end. A wind shift to northwest late at night should
assist in improving conditions.
An upper level low will be nearby Thu before moving east
Fri. This will likely result in stratocumulus ceilings, with a
worst case being MVFR. NW'ly winds will also gust 20 to 25 kt
both days.
SW winds on Saw blow 5 to 10 knots with gusts up to 15 knots
expected in the morning. Winds become light overnight before
shifting to w'ly Sun morning. Winds remain light on Sun,
blowing 5 to 10 knots. Primarily VFR conditions are expected
both days as precip chances remain low (30% or less).
&&
.MARINE...
SCAs for S'ly flow with gusts up to 30 kts remain in effect. A
few t-storms could reach the waters this evening, but at this
time the threat for SMWs appears low as activity should be
weakening. The SCA was extended through the evening along the
bay. Winds will be lighter for a time before the cold front
brings a shift to the NW early Thu morning. The length of this
gap is a bit uncertain, but advisories will definitely be needed
after sunrise Thu with gusts to 25 kt. Gusty NW winds and
advisories will continue into Fri for some if not all waters.
Winds fall below SCA criteria by Fri evening.
Winds around 15 knots out of the southwest on Saturday before
becoming light overnight. West winds blow 5 to 10 knots over the
waters on Sunday. No hazardous marine conditions are expected either
day.
&&
.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
Water levels are gradually increasing in gusty s'ly flow ahead
of a low pressure system. For the most part, peaks in action
stage are expected, with the highest tide occurring tonight. The
Stevens ensemble shows the potential for Minor tidal flooding
at Annapolis, but other guidance is just below. Expect anomalies
to fall thereafter as winds shift to NW'ly.
&&
.LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
DC...None.
MD...Small Craft Advisory until 1 AM EDT Thursday for MDZ008.
VA...None.
WV...None.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 1 AM EDT Thursday for ANZ530>534-
537>543.
Small Craft Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for ANZ535-
536.
&&
DISCUSSION...ADS/AVS/CPB
AVIATION...ADS/AVS/CPB
MARINE...ADS/AVS/CPBHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 403 PM EDT Wed May 13 2026 ANZ530>543-DCZ001-MDZ008-011-013-014-016>018-504-506-508- VAZ053>057-527-142015- Chesapeake Bay north of Pooles Island MD- Chesapeake Bay from Pooles Island to Sandy Point MD- Chesapeake Bay from Sandy Point to North Beach MD- Chesapeake Bay from North Beach to Drum Point MD- Chesapeake Bay from Drum Point MD to Smith Point VA- Tidal Potomac from Key Bridge to Indian Head MD- Tidal Potomac from Indian Head to Cobb Island MD- Tidal Potomac from Cobb Island MD to Smith Point VA- Patapsco River including Baltimore Harbor- Chester River to Queenstown MD-Eastern Bay- Choptank River to Cambridge MD and the Little Choptank River- Patuxent River to Broomes Island MD- Tangier Sound and the inland waters surrounding Bloodsworth Island-District of Columbia-Cecil-Southern Baltimore- Prince Georges-Anne Arundel-Charles-St. Marys-Calvert- Central and Southeast Montgomery-Central and Southeast Howard- Southeast Harford-Fairfax-Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria- Stafford-Spotsylvania-King George- Central and Southeast Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park- 403 PM EDT Wed May 13 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay, Tidal Potomac River, and I-95 corridor through central Maryland, northern Virginia, and District of Columbia. .DAY ONE...Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. MDZ003>006-503-505-507-VAZ025>031-036>040-050-051-501-502-505>508- 526-WVZ050>053-055-142015- Washington-Frederick-Carroll-Northern Baltimore- Northwest Montgomery-Northwest Howard-Northwest Harford-Augusta- Rockingham-Shenandoah-Page-Warren-Clarke-Nelson-Albemarle-Greene- Madison-Rappahannock-Orange-Culpeper-Northern Fauquier- Southern Fauquier-Western Loudoun-Eastern Loudoun- Northern Virginia Blue Ridge-Central Virginia Blue Ridge- Northwest Prince William-Hampshire-Morgan-Berkeley-Jefferson- Hardy- 403 PM EDT Wed May 13 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of eastern West Virginia, northern and central Virginia, and central and western Maryland. .DAY ONE...Tonight Scattered thunderstorms this evening could result in a few damaging wind gusts, mainly west of I-81. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. MDZ501-502-509-510-VAZ503-504-WVZ501>506-142015- Extreme Western Allegany-Central and Eastern Allegany- Western Garrett-Eastern Garrett-Western Highland-Eastern Highland- Western Grant-Eastern Grant-Western Mineral-Eastern Mineral- Western Pendleton-Eastern Pendleton- 403 PM EDT Wed May 13 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Allegheny Front counties in western Maryland, eastern West Virginia, and Highland County Virginia. .DAY ONE...Tonight Scattered thunderstorms this evening could result in a few damaging wind gusts or isolated instances of large hail. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
630 PM EDT Wed May 13 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0509 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 W Deer Park 39.42N 79.34W
05/13/2026 Garrett MD 911 Call Center
Trees down on Broadford Road and Deer Park Hotel Road.
&&
Event Number LWX2606376
SRTThe Sterling radar (KLWX), 81 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:33 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter measured wind gusts to 53 knots (61 mph).
Quarter size hail was reported near Cross Junction.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, May 2026
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1325812, 1325811.